Medway – Middle Estuary 2
General actions for this subsection
There are no actions generic to the whole of this subsection. For actions relating to specific locations, select an area on the map above or use the postcode/location search and click on the Action Plan tab.
All actions are subject to funding and approval, often by other parties than the Lead Organisation shown.
Download SMP documents
The information on this website represents the current SMP management approaches adopted by the local authorities within its area, and current actions needed to deliver them. These management approaches have been approved by the Environment Agency under its Strategic Overview for coastal flood and erosion risk management and are considered to be local policy.
The documents below provide the full SMP adopted locally and approved by the Environment Agency at the time of publication. Some of the information has changed in response to new government policy, new evidence or new work identified.
Data on this page
Main report
Appendices
- Appendix A- SMP Development
- Appendix B (pt1)- Stakeholder Engagement
- Appendix B (pt2)- Stakeholder Engagement
- Appendix C- Baseline Estuary Process
- Appendix C- No Active Intervention Maps
- Appendix D- Designation Maps
- Appendix D- SEA Environmental Baseline Report (Theme Review)
- Appendix E- Issues and Objectives Evaluations
- Appendix F- Initial Policy Appraisal _ Scenario Development
- Appendix G (pt1)- Scenario Testing
- Appendix G (pt 2)- Scenario Testing
- Appendix H- Economic Appraisal and sensitivity testing
- Appendix I- Metadatabse
- Appendix J- Habitats Regulations Assessment
- Appendix K- Strategic Environmental Assessment
- Appendix L- Water Framework Compliance
Individual unit reports
About this subsection
This part of the SMP includes the middle Medway estuary from Colemouth Creek at the edge of the Isle of Grain’s industrial complex to the Medway towns beginning on the seaward side at St Mary’s Island. It includes SMP Units E4 02 to E4 05 finishing at Lower Upnor on the northern side. Its southern extent runs back to Chetney Marshes next to where the River Swale breaks off from the outer Medway Estuary. These are SMP Units E4 14 to E4 20, which rounds Chetney Marshes. It also includes E4 30 (Medway Islands).
The middle estuary is shallower than the mouth and is flood dominant: the tide is quicker to flood the area than to recede back out to sea. There is a large area of inter-tidal salt marsh and mud flat (Stoke Saltings) between the industrial complex at the Isle of Grain and Kingsnorth Power Station. The power station is protected from flooding by substantial sea defences, but the inter-tidal habitat also helps to manage flood risk in the estuary. The Hoo Marina Park is the only other significant built development within the tidal flood zone on the northern bank, but on the southern bank there are various individual residential and non-residential properties in the flood zone alongside parts of the local road network and two sewage treatment works at Motney Hill and Rushenden.
All the inter-tidal mud flat and salt marsh in the Swale Estuary and the Medway outer and inner estuary are protected for their internationally important wildlife interest. The waters of the entire SMP area are a Marine Conservation Zone.